autonomy v. automaticity (Evolution)

by dhw, Friday, February 02, 2018, 13:33 (2268 days ago) @ David Turell

dhw:That doesn’t mean that God taught the weaverbird to tie knots so that he could have enough time to produce the human brain.

DAVID: T[i]he nest is a clever construction to protect young weavers.[/i]

dhw: All nests are clever constructions to protect all nest-building birds, and some are cleverer than others. So do you think your God preprogrammed/dabbled every nest, or did he just pick on the weaverbird and leave other birds to use their autonomous intelligence to work out how to interweave the component parts and attach them to the branches?

DAVID: You don't know your nests. Some are simple shallow cups of twigs and open to all sorts of predators. Eagle nests (which I've seen) are wide open but who would approach an angry eagle? Weaver's are completely enclosed as a hanging sack made of intricate knots that would put a Boy Scout to shame.

I am perfectly aware of the uniqueness of the weaverbird’s nest. The human brain is vastly more complex than a single cell, but that does not mean the single cell is simple. Have you ever examined the construction of what you call “simple” cups? They are intricately interwoven and firmly attached, and even some of the weak little birds that make them have survived without sacks and knots. So now perhaps you will tell us a) whether you think your God left other birds to use their autonomous intelligence to build their nests, and (b) why you think he specially selected the weaverbird for private lessons in knot-tying.

DAVID: By surviving, that is how they provide energy in a balance of nature, even though you cannot see the connection to ongoing evolution.

dhw: All organisms provide energy. The balance of nature is constantly changing and means nothing more than the fact that whatever species exist at the time exist at the time. Evolution is an ongoing process, but that fact provides no link whatsoever to your hypothesis that your God designed every single life form, lifestyle and natural wonder, and did so for the sole purpose of producing the human brain.

DAVID: And the balance of nature provided the energy as you state.

That’s not what I stated at all. All organisms provide energy and depend on energy to exist. The balance of nature changes according to which organisms are able to get enough energy to survive. This has no connection whatsoever with the argument that the ever changing balance of nature was designed to produce the brain of Homo sapiens. There has been and will continue to be a “balance of nature” so long as there is life on the planet, with or without humans.